Big Day Adventure with Alex Lamoreaux

Difficulty: Moderate. May include some walking on steeper slopes or rocky/rooted trails, but not for long lengths. Fast-paced and may include lots of jumping in and out of the van. Will have a short time for lunch and bathroom stops.

Have you ever experienced the thrill of a “Big Day?” This is a fun, and somewhat competitive, way to see a wide variety of species and locations throughout the Tucson and Southeast Arizona area in a short amount of time! Exact route will be up to the discretion of the leader, to maximize the numbers of species seen/heard. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Verdin, Mick Thompson

Big Day Adventure with Jeremy Dominguez

Difficulty: Moderate. May include some walking on steeper slopes or rocky/rooted trails, but not for long lengths. Fast-paced and may include lots of jumping in and out of the van. Will have a short time for lunch and bathroom stops.

Have you ever experienced the thrill of a “Big Day?” This is a fun, and somewhat competitive, way to see a wide variety of species and locations throughout the Tucson and Southeast Arizona area in a short amount of time! Exact route will be up to the discretion of the leader, to maximize the numbers of species seen/heard. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Black-throated Sparrow, Martin Molina

Arivaca Lake and Area with Keith Kamper and Chrissy Kondrat

Difficulty: Hard. Will include walking along some graded roads as well as some dirt or somewhat undefined trails at the lake with some slopes. Bathroom is available at the lake. Please bring 2 liters of water. Drive time to location about 75 minutes)

This tour will focus on Arivaca Lake, which is an interesting 90 acre impoundment built by the Arizona Game & Fish Department that attracts some interesting species, especially in fall migration. We’ll be on the forefront of migration so we’ll look for all sorts of possible rarities as well as more likely such as Mexican Duck, Common Ground-Dove, Spotted Sandpiper, Black Vulture, Cassin’s Kingbird, Lark Sparrow, and Lazuli Bunting. This can be a good spot to find a wayward Painted Bunting in migration. We’ll also visit areas around Arivaca, before or after, for many riparian birds such as Thick-billed Kingbird and Gray Hawk. Lunch provided, limited to 8 participants.

Gray Hawk, bryanjsmith

River to Mountains with Jake Mohlmann

Difficulty: Moderate. Some steeper slopes and possibly some rocky/rooted trails in Madera or muddy/sandy trails along the river. Drive time to final location approximately 55 minutes to first location.)

This tour combines the best of the riparian habitat and cottonwoods along the Santa Cruz River and the madrean-oak habitat of Madera Canyons and its beautiful sycamores. We’ll start early in the morning by birding the De Anza trail along the Santa Cruz River looking for Lucy’s Warblers, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and Tropical Kingbirds. We’ll cross our fingers for rarities like Green Kingfisher! From here we’ll head to higher elevation and Madera Canyon where we’ll look for species such as Arizona Woodpecker, Wild Turkey, Mexican Jay, and Painted Redstart. We’ll have lunch under the shade of the sycamores. Lunch included. Limited to 8 participants.

Painted Redstart, Matthew Studebaker

Ramsey & Ash Canyons with David Simpson and Gordon and Lori Lam

Difficulty: Moderate. Steeper slopes or more rocky/rooted trails at Ramsey Canyon, for about one mile total. Drive time to locations approximately 2 hours on mostly paved road. Bathroom on-site at Ramsey.

We’ll get an early start from Tucson to explore the east flank of the Huachuca Mountains. We’ll start by visiting the Nature Conservancy’s beautiful Ramsey Canyon and walk underneath the towering sycamores which offers a wide variety of Arizona specialty birds such as Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and Hepatic Tanager, along with many hummingbirds. After our picnic lunch we’ll head over to nearby Ash Canyon, where a bank of hummingbird feeders at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary should be buzzing with activity, including perhaps the range-restricted and very attractive Lucifer Hummingbird. Fees for the Nature Preserve and Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary included as well as lunch. Limited to 8 participants.

Lucifer Hummingbird, Peter Hawrylyshyn

Sleep-in Special: Paton Center for Hummingbirds with Tom Brown

Difficulty: Easy. Will include short walks on mostly flat well-groomed walking trails with some sitting at hummingbird feeders. Bathroom on-site.

Join Tom Brown at the famous Paton Center for Hummingbirds which is known for Violet-crowned Hummingbirds dating back to when Wally and Marion Paton first began inviting birders into their yard shortly after moving to Patagonia in 1973. Now owned by Tucson Bird Alliance, thanks to the generous help of individual donors, the American Bird Conservancy, and Victor Emanuel Nature Tours, it is place to explore and experience the special birds of southeast Arizona. There are many great birds beyond hummingbirds including Inca and Common Ground Dove, Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Lesser Goldfinch, and Blue Grosbeak. You’ll enjoy birding with Tom who has been instrumental in many of the recent renovations at the center. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 70 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand.  Limited to 10 participants.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Lois Manowitz

Desert Birds & Lizards at Sabino Canyon with Jim Rorabaugh

Greater Roadrunner by Dan Weisz

Difficulty: Moderate. Mostly well-groomed walking trails but may have some incline and may be on some uneven and rocky terrain for about 2 miles roundtrip. Bathrooms on-site. Bring 2 liters of water.

We’ll combine herping and birding in the most popular canyon in Tucson, Sabino Canyon. The Sonoran desert upland and Sabino Creek riparian area offer great opportunities for iconic desert birds such as Greater Roadrunner, Gila Woodpecker, Cactus Wren, and Black-throated Sparrow. With the help of Jim Rorabaugh, the senior author of A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Sonora, Mexico, we will also attempt to find whiptails, Zebra-tailed Lizards, spiny lizards, and maybe the iconic Gila Monster. Meet at the ramada by the Visitor’s Center at 5700 N Sabino Canyon Road. $8 parking fee. Return to car by 9am. Sunhat, water and walking shoes always recommended. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 25 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 12 participants.

Greater Roadrunner, Dan Weisz

El Rio Preserve with Brian Jones and Kathe Anderson

Moderate. Mostly easy with mix of paved and dirt trail and overlook, with some short, steep grades between paved and dirt trails. Bathroom on-site.

Explore this nature preserve area just northwest of Tucson in Marana along the Santa Cruz River which is also part of the historic Juan Bautista de Anza Trail. You’ll enjoy the view from the overlook where you’ll be able to scan for a variety of birds including waterfowl, shorebirds, and flycatchers. A walk around the lake trail should turn up a good variety of species including Abert’s Towhee, Lazuli Bunting, Hooded Oriole, Green Heron, and Cinnamon Teal. Drive time to the meeting location from the festival venue is about 30 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Hooded Oriole, Fred Mitchell

The Secret Lives of Desert Purple Martins with Jennie MacFarland

Difficulty: Moderate. Will involve walking over uneven, rocky terrain and off trails relatively short distances in the desert. Participants must wear sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, binoculars, hat and other sun protection. Bring water.

Be a part of the Desert Purple Martin Project research crew for a morning! Tucson Bird Alliance is using technology and a network of volunteers to learn more about these little known birds that nest in saguaro cavities during the monsoon abundance. We will visit several saguaros with active nests and use an endoscope camera and telescoping pole to peek inside the nests. We will be gathering real data points of what stage each nest has reached as specific timing of nests is still not completely known to science. Participants must wear sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, binoculars, hat and other sun protection. Bring water and snacks, it heats up quickly in the desert! Specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Purple Martin, Richard Fray

Mindful Birding at Cienega Creek Preserve with Holly Thomas and Chris Benesh

Difficulty: Moderate. Expect a slow hike on dirt trail that has some loose rocks and moderate incline at times. Bathroom at the trailhead. Bring two liters of water.

Mindful birding is about the intention to focus on the present moment without judgment, just noticing and welcoming whatever shows up, opening our senses to take in the sights and sounds of birds.  Our morning will begin with an overview of mindful birding and its health benefits followed by a birding walk into the cottonwoods along Cienega Creek from the Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead. Drive time to meeting location from festival venue is about 30 minutes, specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Limited to 10 participants.

Summer Tanager, Hemant Kishan